The Very Able And Very Capable Porsche Cayenne SUV

Porsche Cayenne 4x4 has had a recent update, but are they a worthwhile purchase? Definitely. As it stands new they are priced £37,590 - £76,760. Although many may argue that this SUV is not the prettiest of vehicles, we feel it is far more aggressive than many of its competitors, & it is certainly not for the greener driver. It has had new headlights, spoilers, mirrors & enlarged air scoops for the second generation model if styling is your thing. The truth is that this is actually a truly capable 4WD! Its robust and powerful, sure footed and just loves to be thrashed on the dirt roads. Clever suspension technology allows this vehicle to sit really low when tearing up the motorway and rise to the occasion on gravel and even the most severe of 4wd tracks are a synch to the Cayenne.

Buying a used Porsche Cayenne. Buy One If You Can! As the norm with Porsche, the interior is one of luxury, sporty, with a mixture of either beige or dark roof lining, monochrome dash & Porsche-embossed leather interior. The information display is simple, stylish and functional. The three spoke steering wheel with two central grab holds gives the driver a sense of power off & on road. The dash classic Porsche style for those traditionalists out there, & the seats are Porsche quality products. There is 540 liters of boot space with all seats in place, which can be increased to a maximum 1,770 liters by tipping the rear seats that fold flat to the floor. There is also a separately opening rear window to allow quick access to the boot. There's plenty of space in the front. Electric seats with lumbar support help ensure a comfortable driving position, especially on longer journeys. The overview of the bonnet is much like that of a 911& the dials give the same impression, the driving position is excellent due to height-adjustable seats, & a steering column that moves in two directions. All of the Cayenne's have cruise & climate control. The electric windows all round have heat-insulating glass. All models also have alloys & a CD multi changer. The Turbo adds air suspension & aluminium trim, as well as electric steering wheel & seat adjustment and heated seats. It also adds headlight washers, & parking sensors. The GTS adds sports seats. Further options include 19-inch, 20-inch and 21-inch alloy wheels in a variety of designs, panoramic glass roof, Porsche Communication Management (incorporating sat-nav and telephone) 14-speaker Bose system and DVD system. All buyers also receive a Porsche Driving Experience to help exploit the car's potential.

During the 2007 update, the engine performance was increased & fuel consumption improved. The standard V8 is only a slightly slower than the V8 Turbo, the V6 can be slow & course when worked hard. The l 3.6-litre V6 Cayenne produces 290bhp, 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds & a top speed of 149mph.The 4.8-litre V8-engined Cayenne S 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds & a top speed of 156mph. The GTS packs a modified version of the same engine, increasing power to 405bhp for a 157mph top speed.

Topping the range is the Cayenne Turbo, which offers 500bhp 4.8-litre V8 engine. 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds & a top speed of 171mph. The Cayenne & the Cayenne S models come with six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a Tiptronic semi-automatic as an option. The semi-auto is standard on the Turbo model.

Despite its size, the Cayenne seems like a sports car. Its optional Porsche Dynamic chassis control, almost eliminates the body sway, yet gives a subtle ride on its air springs. The drive is sharper than any usual SUV & is of the level expected by a Porsche. It is also possible to change between the standard & sports suspension at the touch of a button. There are three further chassis settings: sports, normal & comfort for finer adjustment. Therefore being able handling experience to suit your journey.

The Cayenne is unbelievably cheaper than many rivals unless you have extras. It has strong residual values, due to the Porsche image & its large demand. Petrol costs are high & the carbon dioxide emissions put all models in the highest tax band for company drivers. Porsche says its Direct Fuel Injection has improved fuel economy by between eight and 15 per cent. The Cayenne returns an average of 21.9mpg with the Cayenne S & Cayenne Turbo both returning 19mpg and the Cayenne GTS 18.7mpg. CO2 emissions for the Cayenne are 310g/km and 358g/km for the Cayenne S & Cayenne Turbo. Car insurance of Group 20 will also add to the bill.

The V8 engines are both brand new designs, & along with Porsche's unlimited-mileage warranty should cover three years. Porsche fits all Cayenne's with twin front & side airbags, as well as full-length curtain 'bags. Anti-lock brakes are standard, & the Cayenne comes with Porsche's traction management system to maintain grip no matter what the terrain. Traction control & four-wheel drive are also standard, & now an anti-roll-over system, the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC).However as yet the Porsche Cayenne has not undergone Euro NCAP crash testing.

Table: What Car?

The Cayenne has a 3.61 V6 engine, 213kw (290bhp), 385 Nm at 3000rpm, a top speed of 227km/h (141mph), 0-60 in 8.1 seconds.
The diesel has a 3.01 V6 td engine, 176 kw (240bhp), 550Nm at 2000 rpm, a top speed of 214km (133mph), 0-60 in 8.3 seconds.
The Cayenne S has a 4.81 V8 engine, 283 kw (385bhp), 500Nm at 3500rpm, a top speed of 252km (157mph), 0-60 in 6.6 seconds.
The GTS has a 4.81 V8 engine, 298kw (405bhp), 500Nm at 3500rpm, a top speed of 253km (157mph), 0-60 in 6.1 seconds.
The Turbo has a 4.8 twin turbo V8 engine, 368kw (500bhp), 700Nm at 2250rpm, a top speed of 275km (171mph), 0-60 in 5.1 seconds.
The Turbo S has a 4.8 twin turbo V8 engine, 404kw (550bhp) 750Nm at 2250rpm, a top speed of 280km (174mph), 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.

Sources used for this blog were: www. Porsche.com, What Car? and Autotrader.

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